A £1.5 MILLION investment is set to improve the quality of weekday rail services for people in Harrogate.

Arriva Trains Northern (ATN) is to fund and run a larger train providing inter-city style comfort to passengers travelling between Knaresborough and Leeds.

The locomotive-hauled train, which Arriva will lease for a 12-month period from English Welsh & Scottish Railways, will have four mark II air conditioned carriages providing 224 seats.

Arriva plans to start running the train in late September as part of the winter timetable. The train will operate initially for 12 months.

Ray Price, ATN managing director, said: "It is recognised that demand for quality services on the Harrogate line has grown dramatically over the past few years and we pledged that we

would look at ways to bring about improvements for our customers.

"The team at Arriva has worked hard to make sure the train is used and to maximum benefit. We believe this is a significant investment in the region's rail services which will be welcomed by local and business communities.

"It is vital that people understand that we have secured this train on a 12-month basis. In order for its continuation we need to demonstrate that the locomotive train on the

Harrogate line is being well used and is sustainable."

Updated: 10:53 Wednesday, July 16, 2003